Daytona: Roar Before The Rolex 24 Team By Team Notes, Prototypes

DPi, LMP2 and PC

7 January 2017, 8:27 PM

A brief review of the happenings and, in particular, the times achieved, by the 55 cars on the entry for the IMSA Roar Before the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International Speedway, the three day test concluding yesterday ahead of the race proper in three weeks time.

You can also catch up via the daily highlights programme from Radio Le Mans’ Shea Adam, available to listen online or to download from here

Whilst the major headlines in this effort are around Jeff Gordon’s drive, the 2017 Rolex 24 Hours will mark the final race of Max Angelelli’s long professional racing career. A tribute to Max’s efforts will be on DSC later this week.

The #55 had a far more trouble-free run through the ‘Roar’ than its sister car and in the process, ran quickest through the speed trap on Sunday running at 194.3mph. In that session Bomarito also set the car’s quickest time, just 0.020 off the best time of the weekend at Daytona.

Sporting a revised grey livery ahead of the 24 Hours during the ‘Roar’ and managed a total of just 111 laps. The car’s time at the event proved problematic it lost almost the entire first test session on Friday due to installation checks, a portion of the Session 2 with suspension issues, skipped the damp Session 3 and underwent a gearbox change which forced it to garage sit for the entirety of Session 6.

Despite its setbacks though, the car ran quickly, ending up fourth overall during Session 4 in which Joel Miller set its most competitive time.

#38: Performance Tech. Best time: 1:41.888 (Set by James French in Session 6) Fastest in Class.

It was a tough ‘Roar’ for the Performance Tech crew, which lost most of Friday’s track action after crashing out of Session 1. The team did however bounce back later in Saturday, running fastest in PC, before setting its fastest time in the final session on Saturday night.

The team’s driver lineup, which at the moment consists of Clark Toppe, Kyle Masson, Patricio O’Ward and James French, may not be final however, with a new fourth driver a possibility for the race.

James French and Kyle Masson will fly straight from Florida to Dubai where they are set to take part in the new 24H Series for small prototypes in a Ginetta G57 P2. The pair then due to sample two different Chevy V8-engined prototypes in a matter of days.